USSR will stand by Bangladesh
MARCH 6, 1972
BANGABANDHU RETURNS FROM MOSCOW
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is given a warm reception when he returned to Dhaka today after his successful visit to the Soviet Union. He is greeted with cheers and applause by a large crowd at the Airport.
Speaking briefly at the airport, Bangabandhu says that Bangladesh and the Soviet Union have pledged to work jointly for the cause of world peace. The Soviet leaders have assured that they will stand by the people of Bangladesh, he adds.
The prime minister describes his Soviet visit as "very successful" and praises the Soviet people and their leaders for the hospitality extended to him and his entourage during their stay. "The love and affection shown to me and my party is in fact shown to the 75 million people of Bangladesh."
Bangabandhu says that, besides discussing with Soviet leaders about the welfare of the two peoples, they also had talks on the preservation of world peace.
Bangabandhu also informs that the top Soviet leaders, including Soviet Communist Party Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin and President Nikolai Podgorny have accepted an invitation to visit Bangladesh.
ENUMERATORS WILL VISIT EVERY FAMILY
The chairman of the Central Assessment Committee informs that enumerators will visit each and every family of Bangladesh to ascertain the loss of life and property caused by the atrocities of the Pakistan army during the period between March 25 and December 16,1971.
5,000 TRUCKS, 30 FERRIES NEEDED FOR RELIEF MOVEMENT
The government has suggested to international agencies for an overall improvement of the country's transport system to carry immediately a minimum of seven lakh tonnes of relief and rehabilitation materials per month throughout the country.
According to an official report on the transport situation available here, about 5,000 trucks and 30 ferry boats are needed immediately to avert a serious transport bottleneck in Bangladesh.
10 LAKH WEAVERS UNEMPLOYED
About three lakh handlooms employing about 10 lakh weavers and other workers are currently idle for want of industrial raw materials like cotton yarns and chemicals. All stocks of cotton yarn and chemicals and the connected industries were destroyed by the occupation forces.
However, Bangladesh Trade and Commerce Minister Mustafizur Rahman Siddiqi assures today that by next June the government will arrange supply of necessary cotton yarn for the handloom industries in Bangladesh.
SOURCES: March 7, 1972 issues of Dainik Bangla, The Daily Ittefaq, Azad, Morning News, The Bangladesh Observer and Purbodesh.
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